O'Brien might redshirt Hackenberg and Breneman if he can afford to, so they both can have 2 years of bowl eligibility. This next recruiting cycle will be the toughest; he has to sell kids on the possibility of playing in a bowl their senior year.

I agree this coming one will be the toughest. This off season he had the whole "new beginnings" thing going for him, but this year he'll won't have much to sell kids on other than the success of this year.

DontToewsMeBro wrote:O'Brien might redshirt Hackenberg and Breneman if he can afford to, so they both can have 2 years of bowl eligibility. This next recruiting cycle will be the toughest; he has to sell kids on the possibility of playing in a bowl their senior year.

I wouldn't be selling kids on bowl games if I'm O'Brien, I sell them on the NFL.

DontToewsMeBro wrote:O'Brien might redshirt Hackenberg and Breneman if he can afford to, so they both can have 2 years of bowl eligibility. This next recruiting cycle will be the toughest; he has to sell kids on the possibility of playing in a bowl their senior year.

I wouldn't be selling kids on bowl games if I'm O'Brien, I sell them on the NFL.

I recall O'Brien saying exactly this to the press when Silas Redd was deliberating whether to stay or go. He said something like he and his staff will do what they can to get players ready for the NFL, and people in the NFL don't really care about how many bowl games you play in, anyway (and he should know). Plus, you play on TV and in front of 108K at home, etc., etc.

DontToewsMeBro wrote:O'Brien might redshirt Hackenberg and Breneman if he can afford to, so they both can have 2 years of bowl eligibility. This next recruiting cycle will be the toughest; he has to sell kids on the possibility of playing in a bowl their senior year.

I wouldn't be selling kids on bowl games if I'm O'Brien, I sell them on the NFL.

I recall O'Brien saying exactly this to the press when Silas Redd was deliberating whether to stay or go. He said something like he and his staff will do what they can to get players ready for the NFL, and people in the NFL don't really care about how many bowl games you play in, anyway (and he should know). Plus, you play on TV and in front of 108K at home, etc., etc.

Can't find a link--will keep trying unless I forget.

He can point out that every game so far has been televised nationally on ABC/ESPN, although I assume some of the remaining games, Indiana and Purdue probably will be on BTN.

STATE COLLEGE - In the most exciting game at Beaver Stadium this season, Zach Zwinak methodically crafted the game of his career.

Carry after carry, Zwinak emerged as the Nittany Lions' most effective back in Penn State's thrilling, 39-28 defeat of then-No. 24 Northwestern on Saturday. Zwinak rushed for 121 yards on 28 carries, had 52 receiving yards on six catches and scored on a 1-yard run.

It was the redshirt sophomore's second straight 100-yard game. Consider that he started the season third or fourth on the depth chart, and that statistic is made all the more impressive.

"He just waited for his opportunity to come," running backs coach Charles London said. "We're always talking about when your opportunity comes, you have to take advantage of it, and about 3 weeks ago he got the opportunity and he hasn't looked back."

After Silas Redd transferred to Southern Cal this summer, all eyes turned to former wide receiver Bill Belton as his replacement. But Belton, as well as his backup, Derek Day, have dealt with bad ankles for several games this season.

So coach Bill O'Brien turned to Zwinak for major duty for the first time in a win over Temple, and just like Zwinak himself, has not looked back.

The 6-1, 232-pound Zwinak, who described himself as "reserved," laughed after the game when asked if he'd ever talked to the media that much.

"Just pay attention in practice, play hard, I guess," Zwinak said, on how he was able to have such a meteoric rise. "There were a couple injuries here and there, which were unfortunate, but things happen. Just practice hard."

In the Nittany Lions' first three games, Zwinak got just three rushing attempts. Against Temple, the native of Frederick, Md., rushed for 94 yards on 18 carries. The next week at Illinois, it was 100 yards on 19 carries, with a pair of touchdowns.

During a crucial third-quarter drive on Saturday that culminated in Allen Robinson's 8-yard TD reception from Matt McGloin, Zwinak touched the ball on six plays in a row, picking up 41 yards.

"That was our thing. When it comes down to the fourth quarter or a long drive, you still have the energy to keep going," Zwinak said.

Belton, who is now healthy, started the game but quickly disappeared and finished with four carries for 12 yards. Michael Zordich, a fullback by trade who has also done time replacing Belton and Day, had the second-most carries with seven for 32 yards.

O'Brien said the running-back competition is something that's decided on a game-by-game basis. He said it's tough to put more tailbacks in a game because Penn State is a "one back" team, though he wouldn't say Zwinak is now the clear-cut number one.

"Zach, we felt, was running the ball downhill and we felt his physical presence in the game," O'Brien said. "This type of game was something we wanted to go with. Same thing with Zordich. It's nothing against Billy Belton, he's a very good football player, but there's only one ball, guys."

Zwinak's durability and success has made his teammates' lives easier, especially considering the injuries the running back position has seen.

"I love it," Zordich said of Zwinak's play. "He's been working hard and he's been coming along in practice the last couple of weeks. It's been showing up on the field on Saturdays. He runs very hard, gets his pads low and gets the yards he needs to get."

Saturday reminded me of the comeback vs Northwestern in 2005, where Michael Robinson led young WRs Derrick Williams, Jordan Norwood, and Deon Butler to a stirring win that set the team in motion to claim the Big Ten title & the Orange Bowl win. *The asterisk season, though, with the 2 seconds put back on the clock at the Michigan game, and even then the home clock operator stopping the clock with 0:01 to go, when three 6 second pass plays had taken place, at 0:18, 0:12 and 0:06...

Hackenberg and Breneman are both extremely active on twitter (@chackenberg1 and @AdamBreneman87), with constant affirmations of their commitment to come play together for O'Brien. At least one of them was at the game on Saturday but I forget which.

Yeah, I've been convinced for a long time that the coaching was to blame for the lack of success for our QB and other offensive recruits. It's great to have a coaching staff that actually knows how to run an attack offense

O'Brien's done amazing things with McGloin. But I also give McGloin himself a good bit of credit. The guy has embraced the coach and the playbook, worked his tail off as a player, and has gained confidence as a leader on and off the team. I'll admit I really didn't think he'd be doing as well as he has. Good for him.

*The asterisk season, though, with the 2 seconds put back on the clock at the Michigan game, and even then the home clock operator stopping the clock with 0:01 to go, when three 6 second pass plays had taken place, at 0:18, 0:12 and 0:06...

Only Lloyd Carr could get the refs to put 2 seconds put back on the clock.

I don't think I've ever been as crushed after a PSU game. Hard to believe it was 7 years ago...

DontToewsMeBro wrote:O'Brien might redshirt Hackenberg and Breneman if he can afford to, so they both can have 2 years of bowl eligibility. This next recruiting cycle will be the toughest; he has to sell kids on the possibility of playing in a bowl their senior year.

I wouldn't be selling kids on bowl games if I'm O'Brien, I sell them on the NFL.

I recall O'Brien saying exactly this to the press when Silas Redd was deliberating whether to stay or go. He said something like he and his staff will do what they can to get players ready for the NFL, and people in the NFL don't really care about how many bowl games you play in, anyway (and he should know). Plus, you play on TV and in front of 108K at home, etc., etc.

Can't find a link--will keep trying unless I forget.

He can point out that every game so far has been televised nationally on ABC/ESPN, although I assume some of the remaining games, Indiana and Purdue probably will be on BTN.

Lt. Dish wrote:O'Brien's done amazing things with McGloin. But I also give McGloin himself a good bit of credit. The guy has embraced the coach and the playbook, worked his tail off as a player, and has gained confidence as a leader on and off the team. I'll admit I really didn't think he'd be doing as well as he has. Good for him.

*The asterisk season, though, with the 2 seconds put back on the clock at the Michigan game, and even then the home clock operator stopping the clock with 0:01 to go, when three 6 second pass plays had taken place, at 0:18, 0:12 and 0:06...

Only Lloyd Carr could get the refs to put 2 seconds put back on the clock.

I don't think I've ever been as crushed after a PSU game. Hard to believe it was 7 years ago...

The Michigan game the following year was my first game as a PSU student. I remember buying a shirt "I got ****ed by Ann Arbor and it only lasted :02 seconds". Then Anthony Morelli was killed by Alan Branch and the game was basically over. Think we went through 3 QBs that game? Woodley had like 10 sacks himself.

Lt. Dish wrote:O'Brien's done amazing things with McGloin. But I also give McGloin himself a good bit of credit. The guy has embraced the coach and the playbook, worked his tail off as a player, and has gained confidence as a leader on and off the team. I'll admit I really didn't think he'd be doing as well as he has. Good for him.

*The asterisk season, though, with the 2 seconds put back on the clock at the Michigan game, and even then the home clock operator stopping the clock with 0:01 to go, when three 6 second pass plays had taken place, at 0:18, 0:12 and 0:06...

Only Lloyd Carr could get the refs to put 2 seconds put back on the clock.

I don't think I've ever been as crushed after a PSU game. Hard to believe it was 7 years ago...

The Michigan game the following year was my first game as a PSU student. I remember buying a shirt "I got ****ed by Ann Arbor and it only lasted :02 seconds". Then Anthony Morelli was killed by Alan Branch and the game was basically over. Think we went through 3 QBs that game? Woodley had like 10 sacks himself.

LOL! Reminds me of the Calvin and Hobbes "Beat the rush: Hate Michigan early/Ann Arbor is a w****" t-shirts immediately after the announcement that PSU was joining the Big Ten.

I have never been more proud of a PSU team than this one. Except for the fact that we have no viable kicker, we should be 5-1. This team has a ton of heart, just enough talent and a great coaching staff.

These years will only get tougher as the loss of scholarships compound, but let's not forget that we lost a significant number of experienced, scholarship athletes coming into this year and yet BOB has found a way to win some games. Recruiting for PSU will have very little margin for error and will need to provide the top level playmakers - but the opprtunity to "run on" at a Big Ten school for those "through the cracks" types of guys has never been seen at a prominent team before. The opportunity to become "NFL Ready" is still there, arguably moreso than even under Paterno - especially on offense.

I was wishing Paterno would step down for over a decade, and while I hate the nature of the impetus for his departure, and I feel geniune sorrow over his death - the new regime for PSU is a breath of fresh air.

I truly believe that with his long-term deal in place, BOB can make this program better than it has ever been - at least more exciting to watch and easy to support.

The Snapshot wrote:I have never been more proud of a PSU team than this one. Except for the fact that we have no viable kicker, we should be 5-1. This team has a ton of heart, just enough talent and a great coaching staff.

These years will only get tougher as the loss of scholarships compound, but let's not forget that we lost a significant number of experienced, scholarship athletes coming into this year and yet BOB has found a way to win some games. Recruiting for PSU will have very little margin for error and will need to provide the top level playmakers - but the opprtunity to "run on" at a Big Ten school for those "through the cracks" types of guys has never been seen at a prominent team before. The opportunity to become "NFL Ready" is still there, arguably moreso than even under Paterno - especially on offense.

I was wishing Paterno would step down for over a decade, and while I hate the nature of the impetus for his departure, and I feel geniune sorrow over his death - the new regime for PSU is a breath of fresh air.

I truly believe that with his long-term deal in place, BOB can make this program better than it has ever been - at least more exciting to watch and easy to support.

The funny this is he is supposed to be an amazing kicker

High SchoolFicken was named first-team Associated Press Class 5A all-state for Coach Mark Hoffman at Valparaiso High School. He also was a member of the all-area team. A former soccer player, he made 13 field goals as a senior, including a school-record 52-yard kick. He also recorded 45 touchbacks on kickoffs during his senior season.

They went to Indiana to recruit him, they must have seen a lot of potential. Sure isn't showing now.

I feel for Ficken. His head has to be a mess over it. "Fixin' Ficken" may be one of the toughest on-field challenges O'Brien faces all season.

The problem with that is...O'Brien doesn't look all that interested in trying to fix him...at least not during the season. I can't even begin to imagine how low Ficken's confidence is right now...and his coach isn't doing anything to help that right now. I don't blame him, mind you...winning is more important.

mac5155 wrote:The coaches ruined morelli. I have more confidence in Obrien to lead a new QB recruit in the right direction more than the old coaching regime.

I had to re-read this twice to figure out what you're talking about, but I think this is more complex than ability to produce better quarterbacks. He is doing very well with a mature over-achiever in McGloin, but I don't expect much talent to come through PSU to support a quarterback (linemen, receivers, etc.). That will make it difficult.